Blade of the Executioner
by DragonGoddess
Summary: crossover with XXXholic.With the imminent war with Aizen approaching, a decision is made to visit a certain witch for a little extra assistance.Though her help comes in an unusual way. Suspicions are raised. Will her help prove to be more of a hindrance?
1. Rain

Disclaimer: Both Bleach and XXXholic belong to their respective owners and not to me

Disclaimer: Both Bleach and XXXholic belong to their respective owners and not to me.

Author Notes: Hey there! DG here. I've been wanting to do a Bleach XXXholic crossover for a while… but I'm lazy. So I finally sat down and started typing! Yay! Before I begin I suppose I should mention timelines for both series… I haven't watched much of the XXXholic anime, so I'll be going by the manga (which is different in places from the anime). I'll be starting the fic from around volume 11 of the manga, shortly after Watanuki names the pipe fox spirit, but before his dreams start to get too out of control. But even if you haven't gotten this far yet, don't worry, I'll try not to post anything too spoilerish from the series (other then the fox's name, and the fact that in recent volumes Wata has been pictured with dual-toned eyes). In Bleach continuality I'll be starting before the Hueco-Mundo arc, but shortly after Hitsugaya and his team enter the real world to start dealing with the arancar threats (but also before the first big attack by Grimmjow).

Well sorry for the big paragraph of an author's note. From now on I'll try to keep them short, because I know you didn't click on my story to read those…

oOoOo

The sky appeared to be in a state of anger. Bright streaks of lightning streaked across the canvas of the heavens like blades of white hot fury, followed by the earth shaking roar of thunder. And as if these heavenly weapons had somehow torn and gouged holes into some sort of divine water basin, rain poured and pounded upon the earth, so much so one could hardly call the mighty deluge rain.

However, despite this terrific storm that drove nearly everyone indoors for cover, two figures stood outside in front of an elegant and old-fashioned looking shop that looked oddly out of place as it was nestled between two towering skyscrapers. One of the pair was boy, highschool aged, who despite the umbrella he clutched a hold of, looked nearly soaked because of the wild way the winds blew the water around. The other was a tall curvaceous woman with inky black hair who despite having no umbrella or even proper rain clothes seemed to be completely dry, her perfectly styled hair not even disheveled by the wind.

"Yuuko-san… you're expecting someone important, aren't you?" Watanuki glanced at the tall curvy woman standing next to him, somewhat jealous of her abilty to repell the rain. She was in a state of uncharacteristic seriousness that she usually possessed just before someone very important or potentially dangerous entered the wish granting shop, "Someone from another world, right? Is it Syaoran-kun and Sakura-chan again?"

"Watanuki-kun is getting more observant," Yuuko smiled. She was dressed in the elegant black gown she wore on the few encounters that those other worldly travelers had arrived months and months ago... nearly a year by now. It had been on a day much like this when the heavens raged and screamed. Perhaps it meant the world was angry someone from another world was invading, someone who just didn't naturally belong here that it sought to expel "However, it isn't those children we're waiting for, though it is someone from another world. And someone who has traveled so far always warrants a little ceremony."

"If it's someone who's important shouldn't I be preparing some tea and snacks?" honestly the young man would have preferred slaving in the kitchen for once as opposed to braving this maelstrom out here.

"No. He has no doubted used every bit of his power to punch his way through the dimensions to come here, and won't be able to stay very long. You're going to play an important role, and you need to be here when he arrives," though she didn't look it other then a slight narrowing of her eyes, Yuuko was beginning to get impatient. Her customer was late… if he took any longer this unnatural storm that heralded travelers such as himself would begin to distort reality.

"That's why I'm dressed like this?" Watanuki fingered the hem of his garment with the hand that wasn't gripped, white-knuckled to the umbrella. At the request (not that anythign that woman asked was a request) of Yuuko he was wearing the clothes she'd given to him; a pure black kimono and hakama and a white sash tied about his waist. It made him feel weird, like he was going to a funeral. He felt a chill up his spine. That certainly wasn't something he wanted to think about. THEY always hung about funerals in droves.

"I think Watanuki-kun looks very handsome in it! Maybe now he won't have such a hard time impressing the ladies!" a high pitched voice chirped.

Startled and looking very much like a prickly irritated cat, Watanuki glared at the small round rabbit like creature that had hopped up onto his shoulder at some point without his notice. He should have known… even if Yuuko was too serious to pick on him at the moment, there was always Mokona ready with a playful thinly veiled insult. Even though he was certain it was still in good humor it didn't bug him any less.

"WHY YOU…! I DON'T HAVE-"

"He's here."

The teen's tirade was cut off by Yuuko's sudden declaration. In all honesty he was confused. He didn't see anyone, and didn't notice any changes in the little yard either. But just as he was about to question the witch, he was answered. A pair of huge old-fashioned looking Shoji doors suddenly materialized in the dead center of the front lawn. After a moment they slowly slid open, light pouring out from within them. There was a figure inside them, and though Watanuki could only see the silhouette, he could distinctly hear the sound of wooden clogs against a hard surface, accompanied by a tapping of what could also possibly be a cane. The footsteps silenced once they reached the grass.

"Your coming here is an act of Hitsuzen," the witch spoke as soon as the traveler had completely emerged from the portal. Her tone was the strangely ominous one in which she always spoke to new customers with, "You have a wish that needs to be granted in order for a certain future to happen."

"Yes…" the man nodded. It was hard to gauge his age, especially with the brim of his bucket-style hat that obscured his features. He could have just as easily passed for twenty as he could forty, "There's a war coming in my world, one that I am partly responsible for. I can't wish for you to end it for me. I know the price would be too high. But the kids who I know will end up fighting it, they might not be enough. My wish… is for something to help them."

"The price is still high," Yuuko said coolly. War… lives… these were things she didn't like dealing with. But she couldn't deny any customers that came to her with a wish. Hitsuzen was Hitsuzen, you could not try and stop it, "Your cane, that is my price. You will need it though for the events to come, so I will not demand it until later."

"There is nothing else I can give you instead?" the man's grip tightened around his cane's handle.

"No. Even though this is the lesser of your two wishes, the price for such a thing is high. That item is the only thing you have that equals the value of your wish. Though I must warn you, even though I will grant you your wish for help, there is no guarantee this help will win the war for you."

The man was silent for a moment, considering his options. He didn't really have many.

"It's a deal," even if it was just a little bit, if he could tip the odds to their side just a bit, it would be worth it.

"Then I will grant your wish," the witch pushed the young man beside her forward a few inches, "To help you I give you the use of Watanuki here."

"Y-Yuuko-san?!" the lad had been silent throughout the exchange, feeling it wasn't his place to put in any input, he usually hid behind a corner to watch these sorts of exchanges anyways. But now he needed to voice a little protest, "He's talking about a war! What sort of help am I going to be? Wouldn't that Domeki be better for this sort of thing? As irritating as that guy is, he knows how to fight at least."

"No. It has to be you. You have more wisdom and insight then you realize," Yuuko replied, and then broke out into her traditional Yuuko-grin, "Besides… you don't think you really have a choice in this, do you?"

Watanuki sighed, visibly drooping in defeat. Of course it was true. If Yuuko wanted him to do something… he did it. No matter how much he complained or protested… in the end he always did.

oOoOo

"That new student, what do you think about him?"

The sun was shining in Karakura town, it was a shame students had to be cooped up in school on such a gorgeous day. Luckily they could still eat lunch outside and get some nice fresh air. A certain group was gathered on the roof that day with the appearance that they were taking advantage of the beautiful weather, though in all honesty they'd gone up there to discuss something away from the ears of the rest of the students.

"That's what you wanted to talk about? I though it was something important. What about him?" the orange-haired teen glanced irritably at the young black haired girl.

Ichigo knew who Rukia was referring to of course. They got a new transfer student in today, a tall skinny kid with black hair, very pale skin, and glasses. Only thing really weird looking about him was his eyes. They had been vaguely cat-like in shape and were two different colors, the left a pale blue, the right a golden brown shade. But even that wasn't suspicious, he'd heard of people with different colored eyes before.

"Kurosaki-kun, you really need to start paying more attention!" Rukia frowned, her hand on her hips, "I'm sure both Sado-kun and Inoue-chan noticed something as well."

Ichigo looked over at the girl and the giant of a teenager as is for confirmation, both voiced their affirmatives (or rather Orihime did, Sado just gave a nod).

"What's so special about him anyways?" the substitute shinigami crossed his arms across his chest, "He's got freaky eyes, but he seems harmless enough."

"You really need to start noticing the reiatsus around you. His was obviously not normal," the black haired girl explained, "I can't quite figure it out… it seems like it's very strong… but it someone how different then anything I've ever felt before. It's not like a shinigami's, human's , hollow's… I can't explain it but it almost feels like it's out of place… like it belongs in another world…"

"Do you think he's dangerous?" Ichigo questioned, his attention focused entirely now on the petite shinigami before him. The imminent dangers of the arrancar and Aizen had everyone on edge a little dealing with anything out of the norm.

"Neither him or his reiatsu feel malicious… but there's no real telling if he'd actually pose a threat or not. However one thing is certain. He's got a gigai. And I can tell exactly where he got it from."

"Urahara's shop?"

"Exactly."

Ichigo stood up, just as the lunch bell rang, and looked at the view of the city that the school's roof gave, he couldn't see the old-fashioned shop from here, but it was almost like he was trying to look for it, just to see what Hat-and-Clogs was up to.

"Let's stop by after school…"

oOoOo

And chapter one is complete! Yay!

Quick edit... just fixed a few grammar mistakes...


	2. Part Timer

Yay for the second chapter! To answer a question someone had, yes Watanuki's gigai looks exactly like him :3

oOoOo

Blade of the Executioner

Chapter 2: Part-Timer

oOoOo

Watanuki sighed as he swept the dust away from the storefront. He'd gone from forced slavery in one weird shop with an eccentric owner to slavery in yet another weird shop with an eccentric owner. Though he supposed in the end sweeping, cooking, and running errands were better then fighting in whatever 'war' he was supposed to eventually be helping in. He didn't even know when or where it was supposed to be. He was still pretty much in the dark about all the details. It made him feel more then a little on edge.

Yuuko had given him a sword before he left, saying it was to slay demons with. Currently it was in the little room he was sharing with the shop's resident freeloader. Though apparently he wasn't allowed to take it out of it's carrier or even look at it until the time came when he had to face those demons. Until then it had to stay in it carrying bag (one of those modern zippered ones with a shoulder strap kendo students usually used to carry their wooden practice swords around with). The bag was pretty well padded so he couldn't even feel the shape of it. He was sorely tempted to take a peek at it, but there was no telling what Yuuko would do if she found out.

This situation was very very far from ideal. At the very least though his current employer wasn't that big an alcoholic so there hadn't been any early morning trips to the pharmacy to pick up hangover remedies in the three days he'd been in this world. Not that he would have been able to go if he had to. Urahara had only finished preparing a false body, a gigai it was called, for him the previous afternoon. It was still a strange concept to him, that he was a spirit in this world, wearing a fake body that felt like a rather large full form glove that was just a little too tight for him while his real body was still with Yuuko in his own world. He supposed there was some logic behind it all, but it didn't make Watanuki like the whole situation any better.

oOoOo

Three days earlier…

"Before you go, might I borrow that cane of yours?" Yuuko looked at the other shop owner, hand held out, grin wide.

"Didn't you just tell me you were going to let me keep it until the war is over?" the man with sandy hair frowned. He'd heard the teen mutter something about 'in her clutches' moments before. He'd thought it was just an exaggerated complaint because the kid was being made to something he didn't really want to. But the time-space witch seemed to be showing her true colors now that the deal had been made, he was beginning to think that clutches comment had some truth to it. Not that he regretted his decision, in the months to come their side would need all the help they could get.

"It's just for a moment before you go, and then I'll give it back," Yuuko leaned closer to Urahara, her best evil seductress face on, mouth spread in an almost perverted looking smile. This was one of her hardest techniques to resist, even Watanuki blushed a little, looking away, "I just want to try something I've always wanted to..."

"I… guess so…" even Urahara was beginning to look a little flustered with the buxom enchantress so near. Still a little reluctant, he handed his precious cane over to Yuuko, who was looking quite triumphant (though there was rarely ever a time where she did not get her way).

Grinning ear to ear she examined the bottom of it, pleased to see a tiny decal of a skull surrounded by flames was there as expected. Perfect. She glanced over at her young employee, still looking sullen from the announcement that once again he'd basically be doing the shop owner's work for her.

"Watanuki-kun! Look over there! Domeki-kun is holding Himawari-chan's hand!" she suddenly shouted, pointing off somewhere in the wet street.

"THAT IDIOT DOMEKI! WHERE-!" just as Watanuki turned his head, and not only did not see his two friends hand in hand, did it come to him that it would be ridiculous that ANYONE would be out here in this weather. Then as he felt something connect (none too gently) with the base of his skull, he realized he had just fallen for the oldest trick in the book.

After a brief, faint flash of light appeared in his eyes Watanuki went sprawling across the muddy lawn in a quite humorous and exaggerated looking fashion. He was trembling in anger and rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head when he finally stood up, and if he had actually been the cat Himawari often pictured him as, his tail would have been puffed up three times it's normal size.

"Yuuko-san, what was that for?! That really really hurt! Are trying to… to…" his eyes widened nearly to the size of saucer plates when he saw the prone figure lying by the witch's feet. It… it was himself! Except, not moving! With blank glassy eyes! And then there had been that sharp pain (a.k.a blunt force trauma)… his mouth was slightly agape as his figured out what had just happened. He remembered thinking earlier how he thought wearing a black kimono made him feel like he was going to a funeral. Was it a premonition that the funeral he was going to go to would actually be his own?!

"YUUKO-SAN! YOU KILLED ME! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!" understandably on the verge of hyperventilation, his arms flailed about wildly, "I THOUGHT YOU DIDN'T DO STUFF LIKE THIS!"

"Oh calm down," Yuuko sighed, returning the cane to Urahara who was beginning to wonder if this had been a good idea to come here in the first place.

"HOW CAN I CALM DOWN?!"

"I didn't kill you," Yuuko waved off the young man's hysterics.

"Oh… oh… then… what….?"

"I removed the soul from your body."

"THAT'S THE SAME THING!"

It took a few minutes to calm Watanuki down and explain the situation and show him that his 'corpse' was still breathing. Apparently Yuuko was going to do something with it so his body would stay animated during his absence so he wouldn't appear to be gone from school or his everyday life and arouse suspicion or a search party. Apparently Yuuko's latest customer could create a temporary body to house his spirit once they got to his world as well, so he wouldn't need it either.

After handing her Watanuki the sword in it's carrier with the brief message about demons, he finally left with Urahara through the eerie shoji doors, the final glimpse he had of his own world was a smiling Yuuko holding his lifeless form and waving his own limp hand in goodbye.

oOoOo

"Thanks Mugetsu, I needed a little cheering up. I don't know when you hid in my sleeve but I'm glad you're here" the young teen smiled as the fuzzy little creature happily nuzzled his cheek, Watanuki was happy for once the little pipe fox spirit had stowed away in the folds of his clothes. Granted Yuuko would probably take it out of his paycheck once she found out it had accompanied him, but he'd grin and bare it. It was better then being in a completely different world all by himself.

But still… there was something troubling him. He sighed again, leaning against his broom. There was no telling what sort of weird things Yuuko was doing to his body right now… actually… he really didn't want to think about it. Best think of other things. Like Himawari-chan! Oh what would she think if she knew he was here?

"Oh Himawari-chan, I miss seeing your cute face and bouncy pigtails already…." he couldn't help but smile as he thought about her, just imagining her always filled him with happiness, "I wonder what you're doing right now…"

Then a thought occurred to him. A horrible thought. He was in this world… leaving sweet innocent Himawari-chan with that evil bastard Domeki.

"That's right! That damn Domeki will have my sweet Himawari-chan all to himself!" he gasped, swinging his broom about, "What happens if he puts the moves on her?! Himawari-chan is just too nice to say no! Even to jerk like him!"

Growling in frustration, the swings of his broom became more erratic an frantic, as if he was imagining whacking his 'friend' with it. Unaware that a certain small group of his new classmates and roommate were only minutes away, he screamed his frustration to the heavens.

"DAMN YOU IDIOT DOMEKI!"

oOoOo

Renji couldn't believe he'd been reduced to a mere errand boy. He was a vice-captain! Vice captains didn't go out to do grocery shopping! They trained and ordered people around and looked tough… and saved princesses in towers. He was still a little sore that Ichigo had saved HIS princess… granted he had helped… but Ichigo had gotten nearly all the credit. Dammit… he wanted to be the one who had rescued Rukia! But that was the past, and he'd gotten over that fact, he actually considered himself pretty good friends with the orange haired human.

But those thoughts were off track. They didn't remedy the fact that he was still trudging back to the shop he was staying at, somehow managing to carry several large sacks of groceries all on his own. He didn't know why Urahara hadn't sent that crazy new part timer kid he'd hired instead. Wata-something or another was his name.

He didn't like that kid. Apparently he hadn't been helping clean enough yesterday, and the kid had the NERVE to tell him he didn't get any desert! And that other brat that stayed there, Jinta, said freeloaders didn't get any desert when he started to protest. Even Urahara agreed. Not that someone as manly as he would be interested in something like a triple layer chocolate fudge cake with thick gooey chocolate frosting. He wouldn't have been caught dead eating it! It even had girly looking pink icing flowers! Granted it DID look delicious… and when the part-timer was baking it the whole store smelled like heaven… and no he wasn't salivating just thinking about it. He wasn't normally in to sweets anyways (unlike Rin, the legendary sweet-tooth from Division 12), but it seemed like this kid was some sort of Master chef… granted he'd only moved in to Urahara's yesterday… but he'd already had two meals prepared by him. Nothing in the soul society could eve compare. He could only imagine how good that cake would have been if only he'd had a bite. Not that he wanted to have a piece or anything.

He even had to share a room with Wata-something-or-another to make matters worse…

"Yo, Renji!"

Caught up in his thoughts, Renji hadn't noticed Ichigo and Rukia come up on him. As he turned he very nearly lost hold of the grocery bags, but managed to save them at the last minute. He sighed in relief. If these got ruined he didn't want to have to return to buy more.

"You need some help there? You got a lot stuff…" Ichigo raised an eyebrow, wondering why Renji hadn't gotten someone to help carry everything in the first place.

"I got it!" Renji frowned, glancing at Rukia. If she hadn't been there, maybe he'd have unloaded a few bags on Kurosaki, but he didn't want her to think he couldn't handle it himself or anything.

"You've been at Urahara's since yesterday, right?" Ichigo shrugged when his previous offer was declined, he didn't care, but the redhead looked funny carrying so much stuff, "Any weird customer's drop by?"

"Only ones I've seen are the usual brats buying candy," Renji wondered if he should mention that Ichigo's little sister had been by and that Jinta kid had been making eyes at her. Serve that annoying brat right if he got yelled at by an irate, protective big brother, "He did hire a new part-timer though. He's a little on the strange side."

"His store is so small… why would he need another employee?" Rukia wondered, lips pursed in thought, wondering if the new part-timer was the same boy who had just transferred in, "What's he look like?"

"He's about Kurosaki's height, black hair, glasses. His eyes are kind of weird, one's blue one's gold-"

"That's him," Ichigo nodded. No doubt about it. Eyes like that weren't exactly common place. The only person it could be was the new transfer student.

"DAMN YOU IDIOT DOMEKI!"

All three froze at the sound of the yell, and at the sight that greeted them in front of Urahara's shop. That was the kid they were looking for alright. He was still wearing his school uniform, though he'd taken his tie off and replaced it with a dark green apron that had the store's name emblazoned on the chest. He seemed to be in some sort of state of fury, wildly swinging a broom around, his long thin limbs giving him an almost cartoonish look.

"What's he doing…?" Rukia finally broke the trio's silence.

"Cursing… Domeki? Whoever he is…" Renji replied, even though it was merely stating the obvious.

"I kind of feel bad for this Domeki guy…" Ichigo added.

The raging youth finally noticed the people standing near the storefront staring at him. Almost instantly he stopped, his face beet red from being caught in such a situation. One was his new room mate, and the other two were student from his new class. Perfect. Just… perfect. Of all the people who could have walked in on his him it was people he'd be seeing everyday for a while now.

"W-welcome to Urahara Shop," Hastily he offered a quick polite bow, Mugetsu, still coiled around his neck bowed it's head as well, mimicking it's closest friend.

"Just who are you anyways?" the substitute shinigami asked strait out, not one for subtleties.

"Ah, Kurosaki-kun! I was just about to contact you in the usual way. Thanks for stopping by and saving me the trouble."

Before Watanuki could reply Urahara himself had emerged from within the store. A knowing smile on his lips, he beckoned the teens inside with a wave of the paper fan he almost always had on hand. He figured it was about time for explanations. He'd wanted to before then, but he'd been preoccupied making Watanuki's gigai. It normally didn't take him long, but apparently spirits from other worlds had somewhat different a composition then the ones from this world, so the container was a little different from normal.

But he was done now, and it was time to talk.

oOoOo

"Let me get this strait you went to another world, and asked some witch for help, and she gave you this kid" Ichigo was finding this all a little hard to follow. If Urahara wanted to get something to help turn the tides of the upcoming war… why not get something a little more impressive then some skinny kid.

"I wouldn't underestimate him," Urahara, shook his head, snapping his fan closed and waved it back and forth, "He is after all, a shinigami from another dimension."

"Really?" Rukia looked mildly impressed by this statement (though her reaction seemed to be a cause of irritation to a certain headband wearing redhead), "Do shinigami from other dimensions have different abilities?"

"Umm… I'm not a shinigami…" the black haired boy said quietly, "I'm just an average human. I can see spirits... that's about it."

All those sitting around the table fell silent, and stared at him for a moment. From the story Urahara had told them, going to a different dimension and all in some valiant attempt to help their side seemed like quite a feat on his part. And the way things were looking, the witch Yuuko had swindled him.

"But those clothes you were wearing, you had a shihakushō, the uniform of a shinigami!" Urahara was beginning to get a bad feeling.

"You mean that black kimono? Yuuko-san made me wear it," Watanuki replied simply, "I've learned some things Yuuko-san makes me do are better left unquestioned."

"But when you were a spirit, you had no soul chain. You know, it's a length of chain attached to the chest of the spirits of normal deceased humans," the shop keeper could most certainly feel that distinct bad feeling creeping up on him.

"I do come from another dimension. I've seen many spirits, human and otherwise. In my world I have never seen a single person with something like this soul chain you're talking about," Watanuki sounded apologetic. He did feel bad for some of the people who had dealings with Yuuko.

"Do you know how to use a sword at least?" Renji snapped. The boy had to have at least ONE redeeming combat related ability. He couldn't go off slaying hollows with a broom, or cook them for dinner with his kitchen skills (as mighty as those skills were).

"We had kendo in gym class for about a week once…"

Urahara was beginning to really understand what the boy's mutterings of 'in her clutches' really meant.

oOoOo

Second chapter over! Next time I promise to have some nice action scenes! And sorry if Urahara seems a tad OOC in the scenes with Yuuko. My explanation is that Yuuko-san can make ANYONE nervous or uncomfortable if she put her mind to it. Also I know the second scene in this chapter would have been better off in the last chapter, but I got the image in my head of Yuuko whacking poor Wata in the back of his head with that can so I had to build a little scene around it. It just ended up a little longer then I thought it would.

Until next time!

Also, I wonder if anyone has figured out what the title references to XD


	3. Sword

This chapter will be dedicated to the three lovely people who have reviewed both of the chapters so far

Sorry for the delay, I was having difficulties writing this chapter. It's not the best… but I'm trying to set up for future stuff! ; So it's Hitsuzen! 8D yeah…

This chapter will be dedicated to the three lovely people who have reviewed both of the chapters so far. To gameroy and Artificial Life Creator, thank you for the support, mrawgirl09, the hyperness in your reviews makes me giggle. I hope you three (and everyone else for that matter), enjoy the next chapter. Much love.

oOoOo

Blade of the Executioner

Chapter 3: Sword

oOoOo

"So you've never wielded a sword, and you've never even heard of a Hollow until today?"

"That's right Renji-san. I've said it before though. Why do you have to keep asking the same question over and over?!" Watanuki snapped as he tidied up the little room. And by tidied up, that meant picking up the wrinkled clothes the red-haired shinigami had tossed to the floor after changing into pajamas, long with neatening up some books and other clutter that had somehow manifested in the little room they shared, "How the heck do you make so much mess when you've only been here a day!?"

"So basically you're useless," Renji commented, ignoring the question the raven haired boy had asked. He flopped down on his futon, eager to sleep and block out the kid's annoying presence.

"It's not like I had a choice… If Yuuko-san tells me to do something I have to do it, no questions asked," the teen muttered sullenly. Finished cleaning for the day, he frowned slightly. He still hadn't found Mugetsu, the little spirit had mysteriously disappeared shortly after the meeting that afternoon and he hadn't seen it since. Where could it have gotten off to? Yuuko wouldn't be happy if he lost it…

"Sorry, I guess you can't help it then…" the vice-captain felt a little guilty now. From what Watanuki had just said, and from what he said earlier, it was obvious coming here wasn't his idea. It was the fault of that boss of his for tossing him into a situation that was way over his head. He'd probably regret it later but he had the sudden urge to offer the kid a little help, "Look tomorrow after you get out of school I'll train you a little with a sword so you won't be, you know, completely useless, even though it SHOULD be Urahara doing since you're his employee now. But I don't have anything better to do until the arancars show up anyways."

That and he was certain Rukia would be impressed that he was doing something as noble as training a newbie. So it wasn't entirely a selfless reasoning behind the offer, even though by the way he said it, it sounded that way. At least that was Renji's train of thought until he felt something strange slither against his spine.

"Aaaugh!" he leapt into the air, surprised that anything could have escaped his notice long enough to creep up on him. Whatever it was deftly dodged the shinigami's hands and coildeed and squirmed against all of those dreadful hard to reach spots.

"Renji-san are you…?!" Watanuki's concern disappeared when he saw the problem's fuzzy little head poke out of Renji's collar. He allowed himself a laugh, and beckoned to the little spirit with one hand, "So that's where you've been Mugestu, come over here and stop bothering him."

"That rat-snake thing yours?" Renji scowled as the pipe fox left him alone and floated over to the teen's outstretched hand, lovingly nuzzling his cheek.

"Mugetsu isn't a rat-snake thing. It's a pipe fox," Watanuki retorted, rubbing the slender creature between its ears with on long finger.

"Sure doesn't look like any fox to me," Renji slumped down onto his futon again, feeling indignant because of the little display of hysterics he'd inadvertently displayed. Good thing it was only in front of this kid and not someone more important, like his captain or Rukia.

"He does when he gets bigger…" he smiled. Mugetsu was one of the good things that had come out of knowing and working for Yuuko, "He might even be able to help, he can create fires in that form too."

"That so? So that little snake-rat's more useful then you, huh? Maybe Urahara should have just taken that thing instead of you," Renji snickered, easily dodging the pillow the agitated teen flung at him.

oOoOo

Two months. That was the estimated time Urahara had given him until the real action would begin. Watanuki didn't know if he could survive that long sleeping in the same room as Renji… He frowned as he trudged towards Karakura High, delicately touching his eyes. It was a bright red and swollen already, sure to bruise.

"Umm… Watanuki Kimihiro-kun?" a sweet female voice called from behind him. For a moment the teen thought it was Himawari-chan. Instantly his sullen mood was lifted, his whole body seemed lighter, why even the sun seemed to brighten. Smiling with a renewed vigor he spun around to behold… not Himawari. She was cute, big eyes and ginger colored hair, not to mention a bust that most grown woman would envy. But she wasn't Himawari, she was one of his new classmates.

"That's me… er…"

"Inoue Orihime!" the girl supplied, "I'm friends with Kurosaki-kun and Kuchiki-chan. I wanted to go with them to Urahara-san's yesterday, but I had too many errands to do. They told me about you though, so I decided to meet you before school instead."

"Ah, Inoue-chan then. So you know about what's going to happen…" he trailed off. He could deduce that from who she said she was friends with that she had some knowledge of the events that were to happen, but he did find t difficult to believe that such a nice girl would be caught up in a mess like that.

"Yes… Though I don't know if I'll be any use at all… Umm, Watanuki-kun?" She bit her lip, since the young man had turned around to greet her, something had been troubling her. Especially since Ichigo and Rukia had considered the possibility that Watanuki might be dangerous, "Your eye… Kurosaki-kun, he didn't start a fight with you, did he?"

"My eye? Eh no…" he waved off the girl's concern, "My roommate is a very… enthusiastic sleeper. I think he was dreaming he was slaying some sort of monster or something… and his fist collided with me. But it's no big deal really. As punishment I didn't make any breakfast for him."

"Ah… that's a relief," she sighed. At least it hadn't been Ichigo that did it. She gasped suddenly, cheeks a little pink, aware of how her statement might have sounded to the other, "I mean, it's not a relief that you got injured! Just that it wasn't Kurosaki-kun that injured you!"

"I know what you mean," Watanuki laughed softly. He was usually pretty dense about matters like this… but if he didn't know any better he'd say Orihime had a little bit of a crush on Ichigo. It was kind of cute. She seemed like the type who would try and hide her feelings about it though, so he decided not to mention his observation.

"Would you like me to fix it? Your eye?" the girl asked, trying to steer her thoughts away from her orange haired classmate, "There's not much I can do, but I do have the power to heal wounds almost instantly."

"Really?" Watanuki looked a little surprised. He'd seen a lot of different creatures and beings, but the power to instantly heal was one he'd only seen in manga, "How do you do that?"

"I'll show you… here," she led him off the sidewalk behind a few bushes. Not that any normal people would be able to see her powers at work, but it might be shocking if they saw someone's injury just suddenly disappear.

She placed her fingers up to her flower hairclips, and closed her eyes, "Souten Keshin! I reject!"

Watanuki took an involuntary step back as two fairies suddenly flew from Orihime's hairclips, and his vision was instantly flooded with a bright but soothing light. The injury was small so fixing the damage was an easy matter, it only took a few seconds. Once the light faded from his vision, Watanuki reached up to touch the previously sore spot in amazement. It was no longer puffy and swollen, and didn't hurt a bit. He didn't have a mirror on him, but he was certain it wouldn't be red either.

"That's amazing Inoue-chan!" the awe could clearly be heard in Watanuki's voice. He couldn't help but wonder what Yuuko would think of this ability. However he was distracted by the sound of the school's warning bell. Neither wanting to be late, they both hurried to make it to homeroom before final bell. She's kind of like Himawari-chan, at least their smiles are similar; the boy thought as he held the door open for the girl.

In the sky above the school an ominous formation of dark clouds were beginning to appear in the otherwise clear and sunny day. However the anomaly would go unnoticed for the moment.

oOoOo

"Hmmm… the weather report said today would be sunny…." Watanuki adjusted his glasses as he peered out his classroom's second story window, looking at the growing group of dark clouds, "I hung out laundry too before I came… I hope someone has the sense to bring it in if it really does start to rain before I get back…"

He continued to look at the storm clouds a moment longer. There was something not quite right about them. They just didn't seem normal, almost in a sort of frightening way. He squinted as he looked at the dark clouds. In a way they almost resembled the black smoke of bad habits he occasionally saw hanging around people. But this far away it was hard to tell. Whatever it was it still made him feel uneasy.

"KIII-MIII-HIII-ROOO-KUUUUUN!"

Shaken out of his thoughts by one his new classmate's enthusiastic greeting (which someone how ended with the poor bespectacled boy being tackled to the ground). Watanuki winced, detangling himself from the other's body. He was glad to make friends and all but this… He was really regretting sharing his lunch with him yesterday, having been so used to cooking for Domeki as well, he had made the usual double portion instead of just cooking for himself. Seeing as he couldn't eat it all anyways, and this one had wandered over to check out the smell, he had felt it only polite to offer a little. He couldn't finish the entire thing himself.

"K-Keigo-kun?!" Watanuki glared daggers at the only person he'd ever met who seemed to be even more of spaz then he was, "What are you thinking sneaking up on me?! And what makes you think you can be so familiar with me, using my first name after only knowing me one day?!"

"B-but… I thought we were good friends…" the brunette blubbered, tears practically pouting like fountains from his eyes, "We even shared lunch like old buddies…"

Watanuki sighed, shaking his head a little. Somehow he just couldn't stay mad at someone so… pathetic and needy (though another part of his brain urged him to kick the other kid). He also finally understood why it was that people always warned you not to feed wild animals, they'd follow you around and never leave you be.

"Oh fine, here. I made too much again today so it's just going to go to waste anyways," Watanuki sighed, pushing his overly large bento in the other teen's direction.

"Waaa! You're so nice Kimihiro-kun!" Keigo grinned like the idiot he was, practically drooling at the sight of the other teen's good cooking, "Ichigo-kun is going to be so jealous when he sees me hangig out with someone else!"

"Actually… I don't think he cares…"

"W-WHAT?!"

oOoOo

Luckily for Watanuki the rain had held off the entire time he was in school and he managed to pull all his laundry in. The dark clouds had gotten larger though, and they hung ominously over the town, like some large hulking predator just waiting for the right time to spring.

However for the moment, the strange clouds were the least of his concern. He wasn't even concerned with the fact that Urahara had someone managed to obtain a large rocky wasteland where his cellar should be (in his time working with Yuuko he'd seen much weirder after all). And though it had hurt like heck he wasn't concerned when Urahara had whacked him on the back of his head again to release his spirit from the gigai. After a few times he'd sadly gotten used to it (though he did wonder why people couldn't learn to be a little gentler…)

No his current reason for concern was the redhead standing before him. Calmly twirling a wooden sword, acting as if utterly flattening his new trainee in no more then five seconds hadn't exerted him one bit. It really hadn't either.

"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!" an enraged Watanuki shouted, from his spot on the ground. Renji's last attack had sent him sprawling, his own wooden sword had even flown through the air, landing roughly ten feet away from where he had landed. His arms were covered in red welts from where the redhead had hit him throughout the course of practice, and he had one large welt on his forehead.

"Ah, stop overreacting. It was just a little tap," Renji winced from the tone of Watanuki's voice. He didn't think he knew a single person in the entire Soul Society who could shout as loud and as long as this kid could, "Go pick up your sword and let's start again."

"Overreacting? OVERREACTING?! YOU HIT ME ON THE HEAD! IT HURT! I COULD HAVE GOTTEN A CONCUSION!" the teen's face was bright red, "YOU SHOULD GO EASIER ON A NOVICE!"

"I am going easy… well as easy as I can," Renji said through gritted teeth. He was showing remarkable patience with Watanuki right now. A lesser man would have probably skewered the teen by now. He had to think of something to get him to stop screaming, "You're actually not bad for someone who's never done this before. You've got a lot more stamina then most beginners."

"Eh, really?" the unexpected compliment caught Watanuki off guard, "Well, I've always been really good at sports, that's probably why…"

His stamina being above average was true at least, most beginners would have been completely exhausted by now. Though someone with an eye for these things might have noted that having the level of stamina he did while having such a thin almost frail frame seemed almost impossible. Someone with a truly trained eye would have likely further noted that his stamina was likely a result of the very impressive amount of spiritual power that radiated from him.

But whatever the reason, Renji's words seemed to encourage the youth some, and with a sigh he stood up and retrieved his practice sword. However, now that he seemed to be getting a little more gung ho about the training, an interruption came. The red-haired shinigami's cell phone went off.

"Tch, just a low-level Hollow, I though there was someone here to take care of the small fries…. Wait…" He frowned as little lights kept popping up on the little map on his phone's screen. He tapped it, there had to be something wrong with it… there was no way so many Hollow signals would appear right away. But now that he concentrated, even someone like him who wasn't exactly the best at sensing things could tell something was very very wrong outside this little pocket dimension under the shop. Even the kid seemed to have realized the situation; he was staring at the steps that led up to the main shop, a worried expression on his face.

"Renji-san, what's going on…?" Watanuki was beginning to get the chills, and the air seemed just a little heavier to him. It was the same sensation he'd felt several times before when he was near a malicious spirit back in his own world.

"Hollows, lots of them. Most seem like they're weaklings… but this many. Something's up. I have to go, we'll finish later."

As he watched his new swords tutor hurry out, Watanuki could not help but feel his heart sink a little. He acknowledged that in a fight he'd be about as useful as a pair of ice skates in a roller skating ring, but it was kind of saddening that others had seemed to see him just as useless as well. He had after all come here to help fight after all. Though in the end, if he'd been asked if he wanted to help he probably would have just said he'd only get in the way, and he wouldn't have gone anyways. But still… he would have liked to have been asked…

"The current situation is likely your fault."

Watanuki nearly jumped a mile at the sound of hat and clog's voice behind him. He hadn't seen him come down… had he been here the whole time?

"What do you mean?" the boy glanced behind him, the surprise accusation and the serious tone in the shopkeeper's voice had him nearly as nervous as when he was around Yuuko while she hatched up a scheme

"These Hollows, I assume Renji told you what they were, Karakura has had unusually frequent sightings of them recently due to the upcoming war. However this is an outright swarm," even shadowed as they were by the brim of his hat, Urahara's eyes were penetrating, "I told you before when I was preparing your gigai you have a unique reiatsu, different from anyone else I've ever met. It seems like it's the sort that attracts evil things. They're here because your spirit called to them, I think your power must look pretty tasty to things like them. And now Renji, Ichigo, and Rukia, even your classmates Orihime and Sado are out there fighting to make sure this town's casualty count stays at the bare minimum because your reiatsu called them here. Granted most ARE really weak. But with as many as there are swarming around it'll be hard to kill every single one before they do any damage."

"I… I know already spirits are attracted to me…" Watanuki lowered his head, biting on his lip. It almost seemed like Urahara was trying to actually GUILT him into going out and getting himself killed, "What can I do?"

"Something to slay the demons with… that's what the witch said, right?"

oOoOo

Something to slay the demons with…

Funny how that little line had been the one to make Watanuki dash to his room to retrieve the item Yuuko had given to him. Not even taking it out it's carrier, he's slung it over his shoulder, and before even really thinking, he leapt out the second story window, as it was open and closer to the door. His mind barely had time to freak out and yell at him for his stupidity before his feet landed lightly on the grassy lawn below.

He did take a moment to pause and look in awe up at his room's window… it was pretty high up…. Why had he done that? How had he done that? His body did feel lighter in this spirit form, and he did excel at athletics… but…

No time to think about that. Because of Urahara's manipulative strategy or maybe he just wanted to try for himself, he was going to prove something tonight. He'd been given a sword to slay demons with, and the demons were here.

It didn't take long to find them either, or rather a pack had found him. They were a half dozen strong and they seemed to bare some resemblance to real life animals, though their forms were horrifically twisted and perverted versions of them, and they all bore skull like masks.

"Oh my… here's the one with that lovely scent… he came running to us too… What luck!" on of them cackled.

"I've never seen someone with such an interesting aura, I think if I eat him I'll become ten, no one hundred times more powerful," a second one licked the lips (or rather where the lips should be) of it's grinning mask with a thick purple tongue.

"You?! Don't make me laugh! I laid eyes on him first!" a third screeched, snapping it's jaws at it's companions.

While the monsters were busy squabbling over the very disturbing topic of who would actually get to eat the boy, Watanuki began to unzip the carrier, his pale hand shaking. These were the things he was going to fight? These were the weaklings? Just the evil that radiated off of them made it almost impossible for Watanuki to breathe. He had to concentrate on the zipper or he was certain he'd simply pass out.

It was stuck! Damn… those things wouldn't stay arguing forever!

Pull! Tug! It was opened enough now to reach in and pull out…

…

… a bat.

To be specific it was a red aluminum bat, with the kanjis for 'Executioner's Sword' scrawled on it in black permanent ink. He recognized it immediately as the bat Yuuko had bought to destroy that one woman's computer. Maru and Moro had also used it to beat the rugs out on days when he decided it was time to clean out the store rooms.

As he sank to his knees, he wondered if this was some sort of cruel joke. A bat. What was he supposed to do with this? Something like this wouldn't be able to even dent creatures like these.

Speaking of the Hollows, they seemed to have reached an agreement, or at least one of them decided to jump the gun and had charged strait at him, it's massive maw open and ready to gobble him up. He was so overcome with the realization that Yuuko really would be the death of him (ironic how many times he mumbled as such beneath his breath), he couldn't even muster up the energy to try and run.

A miracle happened then, and a blinding light filled his vision. The Hollow had no time to react as a cannonball of fur, claws and sharp teeth tackled it, easily tearing it to shreds. It was Mugetsu. It had followed him and sensing that the most important person in it's life was in danger, it had shifted to it's nine-tailed form to defend him.

_What's wrong? Why are you doing nothing?_

A voice? No, it was in his head… his thoughts? Couldn't be… he knew he couldn't stand a chance against these Hollows... not armed with a bat of all things.

_Not a bat Kimihiro, a sword! Didn't Yuuko say something about this to you before? It's the name Kimihiro. Call it a sword, believe it's a sword, it will be sword. _

What was that voice? It was a familiar sounding young male's voice… not his own, not Doumeki's. It was one he hadn't heard in so long time, but he just couldn't place it.

The cry of the fox snapped him out of his daze. It was a strong creature the pipe fox, but it was outnumbered. While it had taken down three already it had already sustained a few bad looking injuries. But it still fought on, intent on keeping Watanuki safe.

_Look how Mugetsu fights to protect you! But will it be able to bring them all down? It's hurt now because you can't face them!_

"But… how can I fight something that even Mugestu is having difficulties with?" the teen's heart wrenched when the claws of one of the remaining Hollows grazed against the fox's golden flank, "All I've got is a bat!"

_NOT A BAT!_

Watanuki found himself rising to his feet, sweaty hand gripping the red bat's handle.

_CALL IT A SWORD!_

"Th-this is a sword…" his voice was barely above a whisper as he found his feet moving foreward towards one of the monsters that was preparing to strike Mugetsu from the behind. For the moment the Hollows were more concerned with the dangerous fox rather then the meal who seemed too weak to defend itself.

_BELIEVE IT IS A SWORD!_

"This is a sword…" his voice was a little louder now. The Hollow who had been attacking his friend seemed to finally take notice that the skinny boy was moving towards him. With a shriek it abandoned it's attack and left the two other remaining Hollows to deal with the fox.

Watanuki held the bat before him in the stance Renji had painstakingly taught him earlier, though it still looked clumsy and awkward, especially since his 'sword' was something as unwieldy as it was.

_AND I WILL BE A SWORD!_

"THIS IS A SWORD!" Closing his eyes Watanuki closed his eyes so he wouldn't see the outcome and swung the aluminum bat with all his might at the incoming beast. The moment of truth… when he opened his eyes would his discover himself in the afterlife with the knowledge that the voice had lied to him?

oOoOo

haha…

Cliffhanger ending yeah! XD

Man… this is a really long chapter for me! I hope you weren't too bored with it, things didn't really start to get exciting until the last part. But I wanted to show Watanuki starting to become friendly with some of the Bleach characters. I think he'd sort of have a relationship with Renji and Ichigo that is similar to his relationship with Domeki. Though Ichigo has barely been in this fic at all . honestly I like Renji a lot more so there will more of Renji then him anyways XD Plus Renji has decided on training Watanuki. I think he didn't quite realize what he was signing up for. I also think Watanuki and Orihime would be really good friends, not as in a couple, but good friends. And Keigo! I love Keigo so I wanted to squeeze him into the story for at least a little bit XD I do kind of see him as a wild animal myself. Give him a little attention (or food) and you'll never get rid of him!

Also next chapter will have the first appearance of my favorite Bleach character! Yay! Anyone wanna guess? XD

Well enough rambling for now :3 If you feed me reviews I will feed you happiness vibes!


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